Unconditional

The dr. says we need to keep Kezia home for 2 full months. Don't know if I'll make it that long - I'm sure missing church.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to do some "extended" personal study, though.
I'm still working on The Love Dare (yes - I missed a few days after the baby came, but I'm still plugging away).
Today's dare is "Love is Faithful"
It talks about the biblical story of Hosea - a man who was called to marry a prostitute. She betrayed him. He still loved her unconditionally.
"This is a true story, but it was used as a picture of God's love for us. He showers His favor on us without measure, though in return we often don't pay attention. At times we have acted shamefully and deemed His love an intrusion, as if it's keeping us from what we really want. We have rejected Him in many ways - and yet He still loves us. He still remains faithful."
This quote and story from Hosea reminds me of the book Redeeming Love. I read it a few months ago. It is a great book - great page-turner, but as a warning, much of it is very sad. Anyway, to know that my Savior loves me is an amazing thing. I am so thankful for that knowledge and really, if there is one thing that I can instill in my daughters, it is to ACCEPT their Savior's love for them into their innermost hearts. This quote also makes me want to try harder to ACKNOWLEDGE all the love that God pours out upon me. I am truly blessed!

Another, amazing quote:
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same."

I am tremendously guilty of this. And so, I made a list of people who have hurt, embarrassed, persecuted, used, or hated me or those I love. And I prayed for help in loving them - unconditionally. It is not an easy thing - especially for a few of those people on my list, but I truly felt God's love & I pray that I can love them and do good to them, period. How can I call myself a disciple of Christ if I'm still holding on to grudges and hatred? (Obviously, this is not a one-time-deal. I will need to KEEP praying for love for these people because pride inevitably tends to creep back in).

The flip side is that I remembered people in my life that I had hurt, embarrassed, etc, and it really brought me down. And so... to all those reading this that I have hurt or offended, I truly, sincerely ask your forgiveness.

HUGS ALL AROUND!! :)